South Pennine moors project in line for TV cash from BBC's One Show (From Lancashire Telegraph)

South Pennine moors project in line for TV cash from BBC's One Show

2:30pm Tuesday 3rd July 2012 in TV By Peter Magill, Chief reporter

A REVAMP which has transformed the South Pennine moors around Burnley is now in line for a major television showcase.

Work on the Watershed Landscape Project (WLP) since 2009 has seen traditional hay meadows restored, conservation work to aid the twite, often called the Pennine finch, and a mountain bike trail through Hurstwood.

The twite used to breed in 12 counties in England but it now only breeds in the South Pennines.

In the past 14 years numbers have dropped by 90 per cent and there are now only about 100 breeding pairs left.

And now the scheme, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, is in the semi-finals of a BBC hunt to find the most inspiring efforts to transform the environment.

If successful the WLP will be given a slot on the channel’s One Show and an extra £2,000 towards their overall ambitions.

Pam Warhurst, chairman of Pennine Prospects, co-ordinators of WLP, said: “Volunteers are at the core of this project, guiding, inspiring and carrying out landscape restoration so winning an award would recognise their toil and passion for the uplands.”

Like a number of other National Lottery programming recently, such as the People’s Millions, viewers’ votes will determine the eventual winners.

The WLP has also supported the Offshoots Permaculture Project in Towneley Park, where cottongrass has been grown to aid moorland restoration.

Several geology and poetry workshops have taken place on the moors and improvements have been made to the Pennine Way through rural Burnley.

Votes can be cast for WLP before midnight on July 22 either by calling 0844 836 9699, online at watershedlandscape.co.uk or lotterygoodcauses.org.uk

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